OUR STORY

Today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders. Youth Frontiers is building a better tomorrow by inspiring students to live lives of character.

WHY DO SCHOOLS PARTNER WITH YF?

A young person’s character shapes their destiny and impacts their community. Research shows that students with high social-emotional learning and character skills perform better academically and take responsibility for the culture of their school. Character traits are built and enhanced by experiences throughout our lifetimes.

Our mission

Youth Frontiers’ mission is to provide schools with experiences that inspire character, civility and community. We offer one-day retreats focused on timeless values like kindness, courage and respect. Youth Frontiers also offers educator retreats to help schools support their educators and create cohesive teams all focused in a common direction: their students.

OUR STORY

In 1987, Joe Cavanaugh met a student named Diane who told him about being bullied at school. She said, “There are these kids at school who make fun of me every day. Can you do anything to stop them?” This question was the catalyst that inspired Joe to launch Youth Frontiers. He wanted to build school communities where every person is treated with dignity and respect. Today, on all Youth Frontiers retreats, we tell students that they – as well as the people in their communities – matter. We show them that there is power behind their actions.

Youth Frontiers exists to inspire character and build communities. In community, we hold one another accountable for behaviors and we stand up for one another. When we are connected and feel a sense of belonging, we treat people better. We treat ourselves better.

Heard on retreat from a ninth-grade Respect Retreat participant:

“I’ve been bullied and disrespected in the past. So much so that I believed that I didn’t deserve respect. That stops today. I can’t let the fear of being judged hold me back anymore. I am worthy of respect.”